A Ring by Spring
by JeffC FTW
Summary: It's beyond painful to be at your ex's wedding - but then the pain goes away when you find yourself in the arms of the other who suffered as much as you have.


**I'd been thinking about this idea for awhile, but because it was sensitive to me, I had to tread carefully. Inspired by "Second Love is Best" by sarhea and "heart breaker" by theeflowerchild - both of them dealing with one breakup only to fall into another's arms (in the case of the Uchiha brothers). You should read and find out, but be sure to have a strong drink - legal age, of course - as well as Kleenex since there are gonna be more feels than you can tolerate.**

 **Somehow my head hurt yesterday and therefore I suffered an emotional depression when I was writing this. Then when I was done, onward to a nice hot shower and see if it would help.**

 **Be warned: it may look like character bashing (including Sakura and Sasuke), but it's NOT true at all. I'm doing something I never did before, even though you have all seen it done by others.**

 **I don't own Naruto and its characters. And fic is named after the charming Hallmark movie.**

For his part, being overtly protective of her was the greatest mistake he'd ever made, and look where it got them both now.

When he met her, she was a dear friend of his brother, but not of Naru Uzumaki. The moment he saw her, she was the embodiment of spring - he'd never seen anything like her in his life. She was in medical school, his brother in the family business, and the blonde girl whom he thought had more spunk than any other he'd seen - and who had been with Sasuke since high school and therefore was often a fighter against the pinkette for Sasuke's affections - was working to have her own catering business.

This story was utterly ridiculous: Itachi's decision to have the woman who wouldn't get his brother was because he was with another, and the blonde made Sasuke happy; he could see it all. But that was all he knew, and in young adulthood, he hadn't heard from them since. It wasn't a surprise, since life was full of them. Sasuke was a grown man who didn't need him looking into all his aspects.

Sakura Haruno looked at him the same way she would look at Sasuke: stars and red cheeks. Like roses and stars, the facts of love in classic literature.

But they didn't get together until she was eighteen and had just got into med school. It was a great few years, or so he'd thought. Itachi courted her the way he knew how, he let her have her independence - but sometimes he went too far in terms of how some things could go, and it cost him her.

She said he was too overprotective and left him with a hollow heart filled with regret and nights of hot tears witnessed by only the opened window.

Some months went by, and then came the news afterwards that she ended up with someone else, who was the last one he should have expected, given that in adulthood, you'd expect that she would grow from her infatuation with a certain someone...

 _You guessed it: she chose my brother._

The story went in that Sasuke was dumped by none other than Naru-chan herself, but nobody knew why. It shocked the majority because it would have been a hell of a story among Sasuke's remaining fangirls who were scheming for an opportunity at him - but it went to Sakura because she was nearby. Why and how had it ended up the way it did?

Itachi had no idea why, but they ended up here just like that, without even offering a story to the world; it was also on his part because he had been hurt too much in his life as it was. He had gotten so close to happiness of his own choosing only to lose it.

He could say the same to poor Naru, though he was yet to find the opportunity to hear her side of the story.

Much of Konoha was invited - mostly instant family, friends and colleagues - including himself and the other girl whose heartbreak had to be strong, since he could see it in her eyes despite what she'd done for herself. She seemed unfocused and wishing she was elsewhere. And it angered him to know she'd been commissioned to cater the food - and most of all, the cake at the reception.

He understood her suffering, just as he was suffering being his brother's best man.

The bride and groom had a modern and traditional Shinto ceremony, taking place at the community church and filled with certain traditions of the old days, from the sipping of sake to the exchanging of gifts to the parents - but his attention was on the bride who was a sultry vision in her emerald green kimono gown covered all over with red roses, and one placed in her hair. _A red rose at the end of spring and beginning of summer._

Vows exchanged, Sasuke and Sakura were man and wife.

There was also the exchange of the rings, the bride's making headlines as it did the day of the announcement: a curving yellow golden, emerald-embedded branch with the blinking white diamond amid leaves of sapphires like a weeping willow.

 _Weeping willow - the irony._

He had to close his eyes before the kiss could take place, and he wouldn't be surprised if _she'd_ done the same.

Now Itachi knew he had to seek her out during the reception of all times, lest he go mad any more than he was before.

~o~

Why was she even here? Because she catered for this damned day, and this was her life's work. To provide the best food ever for clients, no matter who they were. Even if they were an ex-boyfriend.

Naru Uzumaki accomplished all her goals in life, except one, so she might as well be single for the rest of her life. He was the only one in her life, despite the rocky start they had in childhood, then it got serious in high school - but then one day, on a date they were supposed to have, he up and flaked without so much as a word.

She decided, after last few times of him doing that as well as him not caring enough to SHOW her he loved her as he claimed, that it was time to grow up and cut him from her life. Never mind they had history.

She had to endure the sparkling glee in the eyes of her adversary when it came to the creation of the cake - that three-tiered white thing with black ribbons on each bottom, covered all over with fresh red orchids - as well as when it came to them both trying which dishes to have at the reception, but she had to assume her professional stance against that clear, unspoken message:

 _I've won. You lost, loser._

Sakura never changed in that department, and you'd think she would while she was with Sasuke's older brother, right? Nope, when she was around Sasuke, she was that starry-eyed bitch she was in high school. Naru could only cross her fingers and pray it would fall apart, but she would NOT welcome Sasuke back so easily if he realized his mistake.

Her guardians, Iruka and Kakashi, supported her and would say she could find another who wouldn't treat her the way he did, but she was too busy on her independence and career to care about guys. HE had been her only experience, because boys never looked at her or acknowledged her the way he did. She liked to think that life could be better single, since she enjoyed it.

That was when she remembered how the pinkette left Itachi Uchiha; she wondered if he was feeling the way she felt today.

Cruel irony: they both ended up invited to their exes' wedding.

It was the middle of June, still spring but getting hotter before the summer solstice. Her catering was on schedule, everything in order, but right now she was among the invites, and wearing none other than the dress she wore on the last date before Sasuke flaked. It was a sparkling baby blue, body-hugging number which ended at the knees, had cap sleeves and a plunging neckline which showed the right amount of breasts, finished with sandals glittering with opals and blue crystals; in her ears were clusters of opal, clear and light blue while around her neck was a little choker holding a stunning blue crystal matching her vivid sapphire irises. How fitting was it to have it on this day which was where she lost him forever - maybe - and wouldn't have a care? She didn't care how beautiful the bride was, nor did she care what that ring looked like as bride and groom exchanged - everything was a blur.

Although Naru could see it on the best man's face - the groom's older brother - as much as he was hiding it, but his eyes expressed it. Too bad many would mistake it for tears of joy, and hardly anyone would see the great Itachi Uchiha show any emotion, but for his baby brother's big day. It pissed her off that he was in so much pain, something she knew too well.

He'd closed his eyes just as the kiss took place, and she lowered her own instead. Still, her stomach churned.

She was gonna go into the kitchens to make sure everything was in order, when the reality was that she wished she was anywhere but. But this was her job, her pay as well as to her workers and colleagues, so no choice. At least she wouldn't have to be out there _enjoying_ that hellhole.

She wished she could find Itachi because it was obvious they both needed a shoulder to cry on.

All the sushi and barbeque, seafood and sweets which was prepared by hand by her, assistant Choji and a few others - though Sasuke personally hated sweets unlike his older brother - were made to die for, along with American cuisines with an Asian twist. Somehow she got a craving on the job, but she resisted that. When work was over and she was to clean the place out - then collect the paychecks - she would go straight home and get on ramen because it always made her feel better, then get drunk on one of the sake bottles Iruka sent her on her last birthday.

"Man, Naru, I'll be glad when all of this is over," Shikamaru told her, being one of the waiters to bring the dishes out to the newlyweds and their guests. "It's a drag, more than some of the other events. I know you're looking forward to that, too."

"You have no idea, Shika," she said with a heavy sigh as she oversaw the loading of the dishes which had just been cleaned up and were loaded back into their boxes, carefully wrapped individually. "Okay, that just about wraps it up, people," she said. "Let's get paid and then get the hell out of here."

"I thought it'd never come," Kiba grumbled from his place at one of the stainless steel stoves. "Makes me sick just looking at those two of all people."

The bride and groom had given theirs to the wedding planner in private, but that meant they would be gone for their honeymoon so the planner - none other than one Hinata, her best friend since the breakup - would give to her catering staff. "I'm glad you didn't have to see all of that afterwards," the Hyuuga whispered in private, understanding and sad in her eyes. She slipped Naru the envelope, which was a small reward despite the large amount for a day and night that was one of the worst of her life.

She tugged off the apron and threw it into the box which had the others'. She was sweating so much she was sure her hair was out of place despite its short ponytail. Here she was in her nice dress, jewelry being put back on even though there was no reason other than just going home now that everything would be moved back - and it was then that when she was the last of her crew to leave, she was gifted with a sight you didn't see every day.

 _Actually, this is something you see often - but not from HIM._

In other words, Itachi Uchiha stood there. Ponytail mussed and his tie loose a little; he was a mess of himself, and she understood why, because of the feel of her own hair out of place. He had an empty glass in hand, telling her he must have had more than a couple drinks, but how long had he been out here?

His onyx eyes locked with hers, hooking her, and then his voice, rich and smooth like dark chocolate, buzzed over her nerves in a manner she hadn't felt in a long time. She'd used to be intimidated by him, simply because of who and what he was, so that was why Sasuke used to tell her to steer clear from him, but now she found herself walking towards him in her sandals and dress from the night she broke up with his brother, because they were both broken by their losses and needed each other now, as reasonable adults who could handle the consequences.

~o~

What happened that night couldn't even be elaborated except by one thing that was destined to be, whether it was planned or not. But when he saw her coming his way after her team cleared out while the party was still going on, with only an hour or two left and the bride and groom soon to leave - but he wasn't in the mood to see it anymore - he decided to slip out and have another drink of his own without anyone seeing him.

Anything to erase Sakura's plea to continue their friendship while she would love his brother. Nothing could hurt more than that: being close to the one you wanted to marry yourself only to lose her to someone else. Worse when it was your own flesh and blood.

Yet here SHE was in front of him, in her dress and her short ponytail in a slight shock due to the work in the kitchen. She was exhausted and ready to go home just like he was. But she just stood there, like an angel who had fallen from heaven and was unsure of what to do now that she was here. She was just as lost as he was...

...but here she was, coming to him for the same reason.

"Itachi-san, you're such a mess. I've never seen you like this." She stated the obvious. He laughed without humor, his fingers becoming lax on the glass still in his hand.

"I've never seen you the same, either, Naru-san," he drawled back lightly.

She shook her head, clicking her tongue. "Come on, I'm going to take you back home. Everyone can take care without me just for this night."

Why didn't he protest when she took the glass from him and tossed it over her shoulder, where it was skillfully caught by Kiba Inuzuka?

He grunted, shrugging off her arm which she offered to slip over him as she was going to be underneath his for support. "I can walk, thank you." And walk he did, making way for his car, but she shook her head, taking his keys from him and going right ahead of him, sliding into the driver seat against his protests.

"I'm going to drive you home myself, then return to my spot to get drunk on ramen and sake the rest of the night."

Itachi laughed at the combination of the one food she loved more than anything else, which she was often lectured on having more protein and vitamins if she wanted to be healthy, making you wonder how she could be a professional chef and caterer and STILL live off only on ramen personally.

He had instant at his apartment, so without thinking, he offered to let her stay with him for the night for what she wanted, uncaring if this would go in another direction. His mind freely recalled the few times he and Sakura had been together, in what felt like years ago, but he didn't know if his brother and this woman behind his wheel went all the way.

His attention shifted to the exposed top of her left breast as she shifted directions with his steering wheel, the gas and gear pedals, making him think there was a fifty-fifty chance, which was worse than a high or low point.

"Damn it, I don't have something to sleep in," Naru cursed when they finally arrived at his apartment complex. He chuckled before telling her she could borrow one of his shirts for the night.

Something so...intimate in his book. She didn't answer, but he could have sworn he saw a faint blush on her cheeks.

When they were inside, in his modernized but traditional kitchen, he did the honors of making the steaming tea over the stove while she busied herself making the instant ramen in the cups, all the while avoiding looking him in the eyes. As if she were concerned of making a wrong move that she got the wrong idea of, or she was simply holding back.

The longer he looked at her, the more his body stirred - and maybe something else more than just the need for comfort. He'd known her since she was a child, but his brother made her steer clear from him. She was an adorable little one with bright ideas despite being a social outcast and orphan, raised by two of her later middle school teachers, and now this woman next to him enflamed him on a day that he never should have attended as he was positive she never wanted to.

The silence was broken when the tea and ramen were done, and they were in front of his flatscreen enjoying _Yotsuya Kaidan_ \- an intense tale of adultery, murder, and ghostly vengeance at its finest, as well as being an escape without being sweet and simple which would only cause them both more pain.

About halfway through when they were reaching the moment the betrayed wife returned as a ghost to exact her revenge - something Naru confessed to fantasizing doing once to Sasuke after she left him - that was when they told each other their tragedies that didn't involve death in the literal sense.

"I wore this dress that night, and what does Sasuke do to me in return? He doesn't even show up, doesn't even call me to tell me he couldn't make it," she said angrily, looking down at her mostly empty bowl, filled mostly with the broth now, but had she lost her appetite? She proved him wrong by downing it.

"I was wrong with making sure some things would go a certain way, assuming she would even look at another man," Itachi confessed regrettably over his empty teacup, "and so she resented me for controlling her. I loved her too much. I thought it was simple as that, but I expected too much out of what we had. It comes from being the firstborn in my family, so I brought this onto myself."

 _However...this is going to change._

He said the words as soon as he was leaning down and gently pecking her on the mouth without being forceful. In his mind were these words: _Sasuke and Sakura - one of them having a right to leave me, but she had no right to be smug when she got the man Naru left, so let's see if she enjoys her life with the man she competed with this kind-hearted woman over._

Itachi pulled his face back to see her flushed a darker shade of pink, the film before them forgotten as the ghostly wife tormented her traitorous husband.

~o~

Naru thought this would be the best night of her life. It began when that kiss Itachi gave her made her body burn in such a good way, caused her lower body nerves to overlap over each other, creating friction and sparking. Her high school sex ed brain reminded her that this was the yellow caution zone which would soon flash into the red danger zone.

But she was sure she wanted this, as long as there would be protection involved. It wasn't because she didn't want a baby; she just didn't want this to be a one night stand where she had to burden him with child support and all. When she asked him for condoms as they were standing up to make way for the direction of his bedroom, he smirked.

"One is in my wallet."

Naru's eyes widened. "You came prepared?"

"I called it fifty-fifty," he answered, "whether you were willing or not."

Onward to the bedroom activity, which started with the dropping of the clothes, leaving him in his tight-fitted black briefs and her in her lacy bra with wide straps and a scalloped bottom, the bikini sweetly matching. His comment turned her into a surrendering sacrifice to the god that he was - or better.

"I'm looking at a goddess that my brother missed out on and will regret likely the rest of his life, or too late when he finally comes around."

He had just confessed that he saw something Sasuke should have had the balls to fight for, but he just let it fall apart without trying. For that, Naru handed herself over to this walking god that was his older brother; beneath that was a man who suffered like she had, but he was abandoned while she freed herself from his younger brother.

Undergarments gone, there they were before each other's eyes. Shyly, she brought her arms over her perky breasts while both hands covered the thin blonde strip between her legs. Her cheeks sizzled with more heat when she looked over broad shoulders, warrior's muscles and an extremely large manhood crowned with a little less hair than she expected.

Itachi was in front of her, going behind her and removing her arms so he could see every inch of her without shame. Silently telling her he liked what he was seeing.

His lips were thin and felt softer than they appeared when they placed themselves on her shoulder, then to her neck and finally her lips when she turned her face to his.

The condom was placed on that large him in no time.

She was a virgin, he wasn't, but he was really gentle with her. He also told her he was cleansed of any transmitted infections, which soothed her fears. But just before he broke through her slick barrier and made her into a happy woman, he told her that in the morning he wouldn't worry about a thing, and they would work everything out then.

Naru cried tears of joy at the pleasure of sharing Itachi's body with hers. She held onto him, not wanting to EVER let him go. Wishing he could be hers forever, as far as she was concerned, since they were here for each other now after being hurt by those they loved.

~o~

It would be after the start of spring the following year that the stun would be in the form of the other two exes who found each other's arms on the same night their former loves wed.

It was that day Sasuke and Sakura Uchiha were shocked more than everyone else when they saw _Itachi and Naru_ together, having never once seen or heard a hint that they were an item...but there it was, as well as the wink of the ring around the blonde woman's finger, which made more headlines than Sakura's had, simply because of the heart and soul of their story, involving losing one person and then gaining each other: a ravishing aquamarine resting on a band of yellow gold, both sides with two small rose-cut diamonds.

The couple was very happy, just like these two were with each other, but while everyone else celebrated Itachi and Naru's engagement as well as learned of the plans of a small, intimate ceremony in the late summer coming, Sasuke and Sakura had no idea how to think or feel.

She didn't know it, but he still missed Naru and regretted not trying hard to get her back. He might as well just move on with his life, because Sakura did her best to make his days the best they ever were. He looked at his wife who was seven months along with their first child; he was excited to be a father.

"I hurt Itachi," the pinkette said quietly, lowering her mobile with the news and looking at her husband who had the distant look in his eyes. "But he looks...happy with her." She thought about the times she was cruel to Naru simply because she got the man she always wanted, and was ashamed of herself.

As for Sasuke: "Same here with Naru, but what can we do now?" _Simply move on, because we made mistakes and have to learn to live with them._

They were invited to Itachi and Naru's wedding in late August, so even if they didn't mean it, they had to be excited for their exes' - his brother's - sake, and he was going to be Itachi's best man while Sakura was made to be the bridesmaid even if they were never friends.

 **This is a ONESHOT, so no sequel in order.**

 **That bit where it's mentioned in the past that Sasuke told her to stay away from Itachi was in thanks to "Friendship and Love" by Zenerific1. :)**

 **The movie ItaNaru watched is Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan, a 1959 film based off the well-known kabuki - one of the most famous ghost stories in Japan.**

 **Reviews appreciated, but no flames. If anyone curses at me or calls me a bad name, etc., they are not worth my time.**

 **To make up for the way SasuSaku is in here, I got a brand new, happier one coming up for them tomorrow. It will be called "Haute Couture", unrelated to this, and the happy couple celebrates their wedding anniversary. :D**


End file.
